The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1887-05-28
Another Boomerang.
r.. Canitelian.Adyo

B. r. Capitolian-Adyocate
In its last issue, the st. Landry Dem
ocrat, the organ of the Reformers of that
parish, contains phillippic two col
umns long, against Gov. McEnery,
wherein he is charged with having over
ridden the law in fixing the election for
District Judge on the 9th of December
next. The Governor was controlled in
his action by Section il of Act So, ap-
proved April II, 1877, which reads:
.sThe precincts and polling places, or any
one of them once established under this act,
shall not be changed, except by vote OF two
thirds of all the members OF the police jury
given in favor Of said change at two different
meetings of the police j2ry, and then not
within six months prior toTt general election"
As the precinct lines in St. Landry
were destroyed by the formation of the
new parish of Acadia, it is clear that
leqal election could not be held until the
disturbed wards or precincts had been
rearranged, and the polling places es-
| tablished by the police jury in the man
ner stipulated in the section above quo
ted.
But our Reform contemporary finds
a way to bridge over this difficulty by
asserting that Act lOl of 1882, which
was signed by Gov. McEnery, confers
upon the returning officers "the tanc--.
ton Of controlling the polling places" /"
and that the Governor has siDvoked
this very just and proper provision OF
law which was signed and approved by
Gov. Nicholls,n simply because "it suits
his purpose in the present instance" :"
/ +. Alas, like many other Reform theories,
the beautiful one so well erected by our
contemporary upon the snowy shield
of Gov. Nichols, was doomed to an
early death, for it happens that as early
as April 10, 1884, before the last guber-
Material election, Gov. McEnery had de-
cided that Act 1Ol, of 1882, did not re-
peal ssthe ge,y gust and proper prorision
of laW signed and approved by Coz.
Nichols" He, accordingly, wrote the
following letter, bearing upon this sub
| ject matter, viz
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, }
State of Louisiana.
Baton Rouge, April 10, 1884, }
A. L. Durio, ST. Martinsville, La:
Dear Sir--I have appointed you Returning
! Officer of yeur parish. | understand there is
| a faetional fight in the party in your parish
1 and therefore write to you to ask that az
between them you will. in the administration
of your Office, be strictly impartial. There IL
an opinion in the country that the Returning
| Officer has it in his power to control the elec
ton. This is an error, and l hope you will
4 take the first opportunity to dlsabuse the
4 minds of the voters of your parish on thlt
point. In the appointment of commissioners
it is expected that none but substantial ane
1 worthy citizens will be appointed, who will
/ give full opportunity to each voter to cast
/ his vote, and will make q correct return Of
the result. A fair and impartial election il
expected The polling places as established By
the police iat,'g ooiH be continued The Return
: ing Officer hauing no other authority than t
designate or name these places as q matter o
i information to the geter.
Respectfully Yours,
S. D. MCENERY.
After reading the above, our Reform
contemporary may we'll look for thu
4 pieces of bis theory and paste them to
gether with Spalding's prepared glue
which mends everything.
Amid the customary Reform epithet
!; of "ring,n corrupted public con
sclence,n "brazen audacity," "usurpa
;I tion,n etc, etc., with which the Demo
4 Gratis article fairly bristles, the addi
tlonaI pOIut rs 7aESeu thdt fAu oionAS'o
ary rule of interpreting statutes ex
cludes any application of this rule to
special election
Again our Reform contemporary talk
4 without due examination of the law
for Act So, of 1884, applying to specio
elections for district judges, says j
terms that no man can mlsconstrue:
g Said election shall be holden throughou
the judicial district in which the vacancy o.
cured, IN euerg respect, ander the GENERA
election laics of Atis Stale"
We have no doubt that the Cover
, nor's action bas created bitter dlsaI
polntment in Reform circles, wherei
there always exists stores of talen
backed by an admirable spirit Of sell
sacrifice which is never backward
coming forward whenever the dear pei
Pile are looking around for some fit pei
. son upon whom to bestoW an office.
Yet, we cannot see how the Governt
] could have accommodated his Reforl
friends in ST. Landry, without violatin
; the law as he construed it on the lOI
|, of April, 1884, before the division OF Il
!. parish of St Landry had been though
D of.